- report on "Moralising
violence: representations of electro-shock weaponsOn 1 August
it was revealed that the Metropolitan Police force (Met) in London
has ordered "taser" stun guns from a US supplier. The
Guardian newspaper reported that the export of such equipment
has been banned by the UK government since 1997 as an electro-shock
weapon because it could be "used for torture".

Amnesty has called
for the Met to suspend plans to use the weapon until "there
has been a proper, independent, medical investigation".
The "taser" stun gun fire a two-pronged dart which
carries 50,000 volts and is capable of piercing a leather jacket.

A leading authority
on taser technology at York University, Brian Rappert, commented:

"Some independent
studies were done about 30 years ago, but the weapons were very
different then. The Metropolitan Police must be able to justify
the decision to use the taser after considering independent reports
about its safety. I do not think such independent research exists"